You Won’t Find These Pictures In History Books

In today’s society, the majority of the World have access to some sort of camera, mainly on their mobile phones. This was not the case in the past, and magnificent images were rarely taken. We have gathered 80 of what we deem to be, some of the rarest and amazing photographs that went down in history.

The Statue of Liberty Being Built in 1885

Photo credit: Ink Tank

This image shows the final stages of the Statue of Liberty being in built in Paris, France in 1885. The statue was given to the United States of America as a gift from the French people. The bronze statue was designed by French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi and built by Gustave Eiffel.

Bob Marley on the Beach With Cindy Breakspeare in 1976

Photo credit: Ink Tank

This iconic image was taken in 1976 and shows the King of Reggae, Bob Marley with Cindy Breakspeare, the mother of his child Damien Marley. Cindy Breakspeare was originally from Canada but moved to Jamaica at the age of 2. She became famous after she took the crown for Miss World in 1976. Bob Market died only 2 years after his son Damien was born, who is also a very famous musician today.

Audrey Hepburn Grocery Shopping Accompanied by her Pet Deer in 1958

Photo credit: Play Buzz

It could be argued that this is one of the most iconic celebrity images of all time. Audrey Hepburn named her pet fawn “Pippa” or “Ip” for short and is pictured here in Gelson’s Supermarket in Beverly Hills. She was paired up with Pippa for an upcoming movie and lived with the fawn for weeks beforehand to allow them the chance to properly bond.

Three Men Running a Marathon During First Modern Olympic Games in 1896

Photo credit: Play Buzz

This image depicts the first modern Olympic games since the Olympics had been banned in Athens 1,500 years previous to this by Roman Emperor Theodosius. At the opening ceremony the 280 athletes from 13 different countries were welcomed to a roaring crowd of 60,000 spectators. There was 43 events at this Olympics including wrestling, track and field and tennis amongst an array of other events.

Bill and Hilary Clinton at University in 1973

Photo credit: Imgur

When Hilary went to visit Bill in his home town of Arkansas, she visited the University at which Bill taught, and the faculty were so impressed with her that they offered her a job on the spot. This was in 1973 and two years later the pair married in 1975. Although they were not much older than the students they were teaching, both professors were said to have excelled in their roles and were excellent at their jobs. Hilary taught criminal law whilst Bill taught constitutional law.

Steve Jobs Pictured with Bill Gates in 1991

Photo credit: Imgur

This very rare image of two geniuses and competitors sat side by side was taken for the front cover of Fortune magazine in 1991. It was taken in the home of Steve Jobs in California. One of the most noticeable things to that people take away from this image is the fact that Steve is wearing no socks. Although the two geniuses may be very alike in the entrepreneurial ways, their dress sense was very different. Steve Jobs was the genius mind behind Apple and Bill Gates is the creator of Microsoft.

Porsche Showing the Model of the Beetle to Hitler in the 1930’s

Photo credit: Imgur

This image shows a very happy Hitler with Ferdinand Porsche, as they spoke about the design of the Beetle car. Adolf Hitler had specific designs for this car and Porsche was going to create them. He wanted to create a car that was for the people. He wanted it to be robust and durable whilst still being able to maintain a high speed.

NASA Scientists with their calculations board in 1961

Photo credit: Blogspot

This impressive image was taken by photographer J. R. Eyerman and was featured in LIFE magazine. It depicted a chalk board full of calculations that the NASA Scientists were working on. People believe that the equations on the chalk board were only written on for the picture as the equations are general ones rather than equations the Scientists would have been working on at the time. The Scientists in this photo were known as Computers. This name was given to people whose job was to solve mathematical equations, hence how the name Computer was then given to the electronic device which could do their job years later.

Al Capone’s Soup Kitchen During the Great Depression in 1931

Photo credit: Blogspot

Al Capone was an American gangster who became very rich during the prohibition era. He opened this soup kitchen in a bid to feed some of the starving unemployed American’s that suffered greatly during the Depression. Capone was almost seen to be a hero, nicknamed Robin Hood after he stole form the rich to give to the poor during prohibition, but in this instance not only did he feed the starving people, he even offered some of them jobs.

The Opening Ceremony of Woodstock in 1969

Photo credit: Ink Tank

Woodstock, one of the most famous festivals Worldwide, was originally created by 4 promoters so that they could raise enough money to start a recording studio. Although the 4 promoters had very little experience between them, they caught the attention of some major artists of the time including Janis Joplin and Jimmy Hendrix, making Woodstock an event not to be missed. They had obstacles in their way when the nearby town of Wallkill denied permission for the festival to take place. Luckily for the promoters a farmer from Bethel, allowed them to hold the festival on his 600 acre farm. When the festival opened 400,000 people flooded the farm forcing the promoters to make the event free as those without tickets could access the event without any issues just by walking through the fields. This image shows the opening ceremony in 1969.

Elvis Presley in the Army in 1958

Photo credit: 100 Photos

Elvis Presley was a man of many phenomenal talents. Not only was he a fantastic musician, entertainer and actor, he was also a soldier with the American Army. He enrolled in 1958 and was active in duty until he was discharged in 1964. Throughout his time with the army he was deployed overseas to Germany.

The First Daredevil to Ride over Niagara Falls in a Barrel in 1901

Photo credit: Ink Tank

This image shows the first daredevil that dared to ride over Niagara Falls in nothing more than a barrel. And contrary to popular belief, the first person to do this was a woman. Her name was Annie Edson and it was on her 63rd birthday that she completed the stunt. Although she had practised the stunt before on several occasions, people still believed that she would not make it and was making a huge mistake. Fortunately Annie did make it out alive with only a few scratches on her head.

Baby Cage in Apartment Building in the 1920’s

Photo credit: Ink Tank

This terrifying phenomenal began in the 1920’s when doctors urged parents that their babies needed to experience more fresh air to help strengthen their immune system. The craze was started by Eleanor Roosevelt when she bought a chicken wire cage after she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, to place her in. She hung the cage just outside her window in her New York City apartment which then led to the invention of the first actual baby cage in 1922. They lasted another decade until they went out of fashion many believe due to the safety issues they posed.

Measuring Swimsuit’s in the 1920’s

Photo credit: Ink Tank

Unlike today’s society, in the 1920’s ladies swimwear had to be of a certain length in order to avoid receiving a fine from the beach police who were on the look out for rule breakers. The fine was $10, which was an extortionate amount at the time. They either had to pay this or potentially face time in jail if their swimsuit was too short and did not cover enough of their legs.

Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston

Photo credit: Pundit Arena

This is one of the most iconic sporting photographs of all time. It was taken by Neil Leifer in 1965 after Muhammad Ali knocked Sonny Liston out in the first round only 1 minute and 44 seconds into the match. In the photo we can see Ali standing over his opponent and apparently could be heard shouting to him “Get up and fight, sucker!”

Lunch A top A Skyscraper in 1932

Photo credit: Mental Floss

The photographer of this image remains unknown to this day but it could be between Thomas Kelly, Charles C. Ebbets and William Leftwich. This iconic image shows 11 men casually taking their lunch break 840 feet above Manhattan, eating and smoking. The image was used as part of a promotional campaign that was being run at the time to promote the huge skyscraper.

“Hand of God” goal, 1986

Photo credit: Rare Historical Photos

In one of the most famous soccer games, perhaps of all time, Argentina’s Diego Maradona scored against England using his hand. The goal was named the “Hand of God” and the referee allowed it which helped Argentina to beat England in a 2-1 victory. This was a game not only about soccer, there was political overtones throughout the match. 4 years earlier the two countries had come face to face in a gruelling war to control the Falklands Islands, which ended in victory for the English people.

V.J Day celebrated with Solider Kiss

Photo credit: Rare Historical Photos

V.J Day stood for victory over Japan day, which occurred on the 14th of August in 1945. When the mayor announced that the Japanese had surrendered, American citizens took to times square to celebrate. This image depicts a U.S. Navy soldier kissing a lady in a white dress who is said to be a total stranger, in an immense display of happiness after the announcement was made.

Stalin’s disembodied head in Budapest during the Hungarian Revolution in 1956

Photo credit: Rare Historical Photos

On the 23rd of October in 1956, the 25 metre tall statue of Stalin was destroyed in the Hungarian Uprising. The statue was originally built as a tribute to Stalin on his birthday and depicted him as a great leader and speaker. Next to the statue there were sculptures showing the Hungarian people bowing down to him which demonstrated his power as a leader. On the day the statue was demolished, over 200,000 Hungarians gathered at the statue in Budapest and announced 16 demands over the radio as they stood in solace with the Polish people who had just gained political reform. Included in the 16 demands was the demolishing of the statue. The revolutionaries destroyed the statue leaving only the boots in which they placed a Hungarian flag and chanted for Russia to go home.

Einstein sticking his tongue out in 1951

Photo credit: Rare Historical Photos

Photographer Arthur Sasse asked Einstein to smile for a photo on his 72nd birthday and instead of posing a smile, the famous scientist stuck out his tongue instead. At the time the image was debated by the editor and the chief editor as to wether or not it should be published, and it was agreed that it would be published. To date this is probably the most iconic photo that was taken of Einstein and the original image was sold in a auction for a record amount of $74,324.

Kennedy family attended JFK’s funeral and his son John F. Kennedy Jr. salutes the casket

Photo credit: Rare Historical Photos

This image shows the Kennedy family at the funeral of the late president, John F. Kennedy following his assignation. In the image we can see his widow, Jackie Kennedy, his brothers Senator Edward Kennedy and Attorney General Robert Kennedy, and most famously of all his two children Caroline Kennedy and John F. Kennedy Jr. The saddest and most heart breaking part of this image is the late President’s son saluting the casket as it went by, a moment that was said to have broken hearts all over the World.

Jewish prisoners freed from death train in 1945

Photo credit: Rare Historical Photos

This iconic image was taken by Major Clarence L. Benjamin on Friday the 13th of April in 1945. It depicts the moment that the first few Jewish prisoners realised they were being liberated and freed from the death train. The train contained over 2500 Jewish people including men, women and children. It was en route from the Bergen-Belsen death camp and the people onboard would have not survived, only for the American patrol that found them. Some of the people died of starvation before food could reach the train but the survivors screamed in a joyous tone at the sight of the soldiers. They were almost skeleton like and had been crammed into the train cars with up to 40 people per car, so most of them had to stand the entire journey.

The Baby in the Shanghai’s Railroad Station in 1937

Photo credit: Rare Historical Photos

In what was known as “Bloody Saturday”, this image was taken following an airstrike on the Shanghai south railway station during China’s war with Japan. The baby is sat crying just a few steps from it’s mother who had been killed in the blast. It was taken by a photographer name H.S. Wong and it was deemed to be one of the most powerful pieces of propaganda ever produced. It enraged the western people once it was released into the public because they could see the damage and civilian casualties being caused by the Japanese.

Mother and Daughter falling form fire escape in 1975

Photo credit: Rare Historical Photos

This photo was taken by Stanley Forman and shows a mother and 2 year old daughter falling from a fire escape in their building. A fire broke out in their building on Marlborough Street on the 22nd of July 1975 and the mother was stood with her daughter at the edge of the fire escape as it was the furtherest point they could get from the extreme heat. A ladder was approaching them from the firemen down below and within seconds of it reaching them, the fire escape collapsed beneath them. The mother, who was named Diana Bryant, died in the hospital following her severe head injuries for the fall and the two year old survived as her mother’s body cushioned the little girls fall. The drop was nearly 50 feet.

Shell shocked soldier in 1916

Photo credit: Rare Historical Photos

This image depicts a soldier in World War 1 during the battle of the Somme in France. The soldier was in the trenches and had just experienced what the soldiers themselves named Shell Shock. This was due to the fact that the soldier had seen first hand human lives been taken around him and possibly even killed men himself. It all became too much and something inside this soldiers head snapped.

The Priest and the Dying Soldier in 1962

Photo credit: Rare Historical Photos

This image was taken by photographer Hector Rondon Lovera during the Venezuelan revolution. As shots were being fired, a priest named Lois Padilla ran out on to the street to give a dying soldier his last rites. Although the priest was risking his own life he knew that the enemies firing were Catholic and couldn’t possibly shoot a priest. The rebellion was between the Venezuelan government and rebels that attempted to overthrow the city of Puerto Cabello.

The Crying Frenchman in 1940

Photo credit: Rare Historical Photos

This image shows a grief stricken Frenchman that was crying in the street once France had been overthrown by the German Army in 1940. With France being considered to house one of the most powerful armies in Europe, their defeat was very unexpected and people struggled to come to terms with what had happened.

Execution of Vietcong officer in 1968

Photo credit: Rare Historical Photos

This image was taken by Eddie Adams and also caught on NBC tv cameras. It aired around the World and showed exactly how brutal and violent the Vietnamese war really was. The picture shows the chief of the national police putting a bullet through the head of a Vietcong office Nguyen Van Liem on the 1st of February in 1968. As soon as the shot was fired the chief of police spoke to the reporter advising that he thought Buddha would forgive him because the Vietcong kill so many people.

The Class Divide in Pre – War Britain in 1937

Photo credit: Rare Historical Photos

This iconic British image named “Toffs and Toughs” was taken in 1937 by photographer Jimmy Sime. The image was taken outside of the Eton vs Harrow cricket match. The two boys in the top hats and waistcoats attended Harrow School and are seen to be wearing the school uniform whilst the other 3 boys attended a local Church run school and they were wearing the normal plain clothing of young boys at this time. The three boys attended the dentist that morning and instead of returning to school, decided to skip the rest of the day and hang around the outside of the cricket match as this was a money making opportunity for any young person willing to work.

The Kiss of Life in 1967

Photo credit: Rare Historical Photos

This image, taken by photographer Rocco Morabito, shows a utility worker giving another utility worker mouth to mouth after he had been electrocuted by a low voltage line. The incident happened when the utility worker Randall Champion brushed into a live line and electrocuted himself. His co-worker Thompson was below him and rushed up to help him. He gave him CPR until he felt the worker breath again and then lowered him down to the ground on his shoulder where he continued to help resuscitate him until the paramedics arrived. Randall Champion surveyed this and lived for nearly another 40 years after.

The Most Beautiful Suicide in 1947

Photo credit: Rare Historical Photos

Taken by photographer Robert C. Wiles, this images shows what is deemed as the most famous suicide from the Empire State Building. The lady in the photo is Evelyn McHale, only 24 years old she jumped form the 86th floor conservatory. She was dressed very elegantly wearing a white blouse and her pearls. She landed on top of a limousine with her legs crossed and the metal of the car lay beneath her like a bed sheet. Evelyn’s death was very unexpected and she was engaged to be married that very year.

Russian Spy Laughing during his Execution in 1942

Photo credit: Rare Historical Photos

This picture shows a soviet spy’s last breaths before he was executed in a forest in East Karelia in Finland in 1942. The spy was captured and knew his fate, but rather than crying or praying, he smiled and laughed. This created a very horrifying scene and last memory of the spy. This image along with others of Russian’s being executed were withheld in Finland as they did not want the images to be released for propaganda purposes during the war. The image was released in 2006.

Himmler stares at prisoner in Concentration Camp in 1941

Photo credit: Rare Historical Photos

This image was taken as Heinrich Himmler visited the Shirokaya Street Concentration Camp in Minsk in August 1941. Even people that knew and were close to Himmler struggled to stare at him eye to eye but this young man had been stripped of everything that he had ever known and had nothing left to lose. That day Himmler ordered for 100 Jews to be killed in front of him so that he could see the techniques the soldiers were using. This camp held over 2000 prisoners of war and often housed people who were being moved to Auschwitz.

Burning Cross on Martin Luther King Jr’s Front Lawn in 1960

Photo credit: Ink Tank

This iconic image shows Martin Luther King Junior removing a burning cross that was placed on his front lawn by neighbours, with his young son stood beside him to witness the threat. His house prior to this had been bombed and he had received a number of death threats, so although this act may have terrified anyone else, Dr. King was used to this sort of behaviour. Knowing that the World was watching him as he removed the cross, he did not show any fear.

Hotel Owner Pouring Acid on People in Hotel Swimming Pool in 1964

Photo credit: Ink Tank

This very famous photograph was taken by photographer Horace Sort at the Motor Lodge swimming pool on the 18th of June in 1964. The white and black protesters jumped in the swimming pool after Martin Luther King Jr and two others were removed from the hotel after they were arrested for trespassing in the restaurant of the hotel. In a bid to remove the protestors from the pool, the owner Jimmy Brock, poured a bottle of muriatic acid into the pool hoping that they would leave. Fortunately the amount of water that was in the pool helped dissolve the acid so that it posed no threat to the swimmers.

The Last Prisoners Leave Alcatraz in 1963

Photo credit: Ink Tank

This image shows the very last prisoners leaving the famous prison, Alcatraz. Alcatraz was built as a fortress and started as an army barracks before turning into a prison which housed some of America’s most dangerous criminals over the years. As it was an expensive cost to the country to keep the place running, Attorney General Robert Kennedy signed an order to have the prison closed. Journalists and photographers eagerly awaited the last of the Alcatraz prisoners and photographed them as they were escorted on to boats to leave the island.

James Dean Posing in Coffin in 1955

Photo credit: Imgur

This famous image of James Dean posing in the coffin in January 1955 was taken by photographer Dennis Stock. Dean decided to get into the coffin of his own accord to pose for the photo. Some people say that he sealed his death by tempting fate with this photo, as he died later the same year in a car crash. The picture was taken in Indiana, his birthplace.

The Last Known Photo of The Titanic Intact in 1912

Photo credit: Play Buzz

This photo is said to have been taken by an Irish Priest named Francis Browne. It was the last photo taken of The Titanic on it’s maiden voyage, which would turn out to be its only voyage. This image was taken just after the ship departed Queenstown, three days before it collided with an iceberg that was hidden amongst the mist of a frosty night. When the ship sank, it took with it 1514 people.

The Vulture and The Little Girl in 1993

Photo credit: Rare Historical Photos

This controversial image was taken by Kevin Carter in 1993 during a trip to Sudan. The little girl was on her way to a United Nations feeding centre when she had to stop to regain her strength. The vulture landed behind her and patiently sat waiting for her, to die. Once the photographer had captured the image he chased the bird away and the little girl survived this encounter however the photographer received a lot of backlash over the photo after it was printed in The New York Times. Many people compared him to the vulture, using the little girl to take a picture but not helping her. The photographer committed suicide a year after this was published, suffering from depression.

A Member of the French Resistance smiles at German Firing Squad

Photo credit: Rare Historical Photos

This image shows a member of the French resistance smiling at German soldiers during the mock execution. The French man, Georges Blind, was positioned against the corner of the wall in October 1944 whilst all the German soldiers aimed their rifles at him, in an attempt to get him to speak. The German plan did not work and Georges simply smiled back at them. This form of psychological torture was a popular method to get people to speak without having to kill them. In this case it did not work and the French man was moved to a concentration camp where he later died.

German Soldier returns Home to Find his Family are no Longer there in 1946

Photo credit: Rare Historical Photos

This image, captured by photographer Tony Vaccaro, shows a German soldier who returned to his home in Frankfurt after the war, only to find that his home has been bombed and his family are nowhere to be seen. The grief ridden soldier lays himself on the wall beside the remains of his home and crumbles into his hands at the sight before him.

Marina Ginesta on top of the Hotel Colon in Barcelona during the Spanish Civil War in 1936

Photo credit: Rare Historical Photos

In this photo you can see Marina Ginesta on top of the Hotel Colon during the Spanish Civil War in 1936 and she is armed with a rifle. She was actually a reporter and a translator at the time but was quite militant. She was a member of the Socialist Youth but quickly began to withdraw herself from the route the Stalinists were taking and was intrigued by other groups such as Anti-Stalinist group P.O.U.M. Marina was unaware of this photo until 2006 even though it had been widely circulated since the civil war.

The 2800 Years Old Kiss

Photo credit: Rare Historical Photos

This incredibly famous image shows a couple from 2800 years ago who died underground from asphyxiation. In 1972 these remains were discovered in a site that had been burned after a military attack in the West Azerbaijan Province of Iran. Hidden from the soldiers at the time, the couple hid underground in a plastic grain bin which is where they died from lack of oxygen. The head wound to the skeleton on the right occurred when people were digging up the site. This image is also known as The Lovers.

Jessie Owens competed for the USA in the Olympics which were held in Nazi Germany in 1936. He won 4 gold medals in total and actually received a letter fo congratulations from Hitler. Hitler had made a point during the games to only shake hands with German winners and was then advised to shake hands with every winner or none at all, he opted to skip the rest of the medal ceremonies as to not shake hands with anyone. The Olympics were in Hitler’s eyes, his opportunity to show the World how amazing Nazi Germany was under his control.

The Night They Ended Prohibition in 1933

Photo credit: Rare Historical Photos

This image depicts the joy that swept across the United States of America after the 18th amendment was repealed in 1933 which ended prohibition. Prohibition was introduced as a means to prevent crime, however it had quite the opposite effect. Once it was introduced, crime and illegal activity increased tenfold. This included home brewing, smuggling and organised crime.

Tank Men in 1989

Photo credit: China Change

This image was captured by Jeff Widener in 1989 from a hotel balcony in Beijing. It was the day after Chinese troops attacked pro-democracy demonstrators, also known as the Tiananmen Square massacre. Just as Widener was about to capture his image of the army tanks, a man with only shopping bags in his hands stood in front of one of the tanks. The crowds presumed that the man would be killed instantly, but the tanks held their fire and the man was removed by people on foot.

Emmett Till

Photo credit: 100 Photos

This image was taken in 1955 following the brutal murder of Emmett Till. He was a black teenager from Chicago and he was visiting relatives in Mississippi when the incident happened. He went to a shop named Bryant’s Grocery and Meat Market where he met Carolyn Bryant, a white woman, and he was accused of flirting with her. This has never been proven but Carolyn’s husband and half brother 4 days later dragged Till from his relatives home, shot him, beat him and left his body in the river with a metal fan strapped to his neck. The men were acquitted by an all white jury but the mother of Emmett Till wanted everyone to see what they had done and had an open casket at her home. This haunting image brought racist attacks in the USA to the public eye.

D-Day in 1944

Photo credit: 100 Photos

This image was captured by LIFE magazine photographer Robert Capa in 1944. The solider named in the image is Private First Class Huston Reilly. The boat he was in was shot down by Nazi’s so he sank to the bottom of the ocean to avoid being a target for further bullets but had to float back up before he ran out of air. He received several wounds and it took him over 30 minutes to get to shore. The images taken by Robert Capa gave the public an opportunity to see what the soldiers faced, as he was the only photographer on D-Day to capture photo’s.

Famine in Somalia in 1992

Photo credit: Global Research

This iconic photo showing how bad the famine was in Somalia was taken by photographer James Nachtwey in 1992. He made the trip by himself as his work would not send him due to the conflict in Mogadishu. This had a direct impact on the price of food and aid failed to get to those in need. On his trip he took a number of images to show the Western people the reality of what was happening in Somalia. The image was published on the front cover of The New York Times magazine.

Behind Closed Doors in 1982

Photo credit: 100 Photos

This powerful image was taken by photographer Donna Ferrato at the couples apartment in New Jersey. The couple, Garth and Lisa, were the subject of another photoshoot for the photographer to do with wealthy swingers, however on this particular night she was present when Garth started to beat Lisa. So instead of doing nothing, she captured the image and approached several publishers with it but none of them would publish the image. She published it herself in 1991 in her book appropriately titled, Living With The Enemy.

The Hindenburg Disaster in 1937

Photo credit: YouTube

This iconic image was taken by Sam There in May of 1937. It was supposed to be a day of great celebration as the ginormous Zeppelin skyline ship was due to arrive into Frankfurt, hence why the press were there waiting to cover the story. As the ship sailed in over the sky it’s flammable hydrogen caught fire which caused part of the ship to become engulfed in flames. 36 people were killed in this disaster and it was part of the reason that these ships died out.

The Babe Bows Out in 1948

Photo credit: Goldin Auctions

This image depicts one of Babe Ruth’s final moments in the Yankee Stadium. The picture was taken by Nat Fein and it was a very iconic moment for baseball fans everywhere. Babe Ruth was named as one of the greatest players of all time and he had been out of the game for many years due to suffering from cancer, it was terminal. In the silver anniversary of the stadium he made one final appearance and retired his number 3 jersey.

Migrant Mother in 1936

Photo credit: Mashable

This image was taken by photographer Dorothy Lange during the Great Depression. She stumbled upon a camp in Hoboken where she searched through the crowds of starving workers until she found the lady in this image, Frances Owens. She took 6 images of Frances with her children, and you can really see from this image how a picture speaks a thousand words. You can see from her face the stress and worry that she faced. Dorothy Lange informed the authorities of the starving workers in the camp and they sent 20,000 pounds of food to them.

The Loch Ness Monster in 1934

Photo credit: Express

This picture of the mythical “loch Ness Monster” was taken by a British doctor in 1934 named Robert Wilson. This image was taken after another photographer had taken a picture of what was supposed to be the monster, but turned out to be a hoax. There is still a lot of debate over this image as a lot of people deny the possibility that such a monster exists without any real physical proof.

Gandhi and the Spinning Wheel in 1946

Photo credit: Pinterest

This iconic image was taken by journalist Margaret Bourke-White of Mohandas Ghandi at the time he was being held prisoner by the British at Yeravda prison in India. This was not an easy photo to take because Ghandi only agreed for the journalist to take this image if she could learn the craft of creating her own thread from a spinning wheel, beforehand. Ghandi encouraged all of his countrymen to make their own thread so that they did not have to purchase British goods.

Soweto Uprising in 1976

Photo credit: The Teacher

This image was taken by photographer Sam Nzima during the Soweto student protest in June of 1976. They were protesting the introduction of mandatory Afrikaans-language instruction in their township schools. A number of students attended the rally which began very peaceful and then police used tear gas. The students reacted by throwing stones to which the police retaliated by opening fire. This picture shows a young student, only 13 years old named Hector Pieterson, being carried by another student and his sister after he was gunned down by the police. This brought the apartheid in South Africa into the public eye and made people take notice.

The Terror of War in 1972

Photo credit: 100 Photos

This harrowing image depicts the scenes in Saigon in 1972 during the Vietnamese war. It was taken by photographer Nick Ut who was present at the time when napalm was dropped. Initially he wondered why one of the kids running towards him had no clothes on and then he realised that she had been hit by napalm. Amongst her antagonising screams Nick poured water over her back in an attempt to calm down the burning. She was brought to a nearby hospital where it was confirmed her body was covered in 30 percent third degree burns. The image was published in The New York Times which brought the horror of the war straight to the people of America who were disturbed by what they seen.

Winston Churchill in 1941

Photo credit: Karsh

This portrait of Winston Churchill was taken by a Canadian photographer named Your Karsh during his visit to Canada to thank the Canadians for their help. The look on Churchill’s face is due to the fact that he only let the Canadian photographer take one picture of him, but as the photographer set up the camera, the Prime Minister lit up a cigar, which the photographer plucked from the PM’s mouth to take the photo. As the photo clearly shows, the Prime Minister was not too happy about this. However the look on his face adds to the value of this image.

Grief in 1942

Photo credit: Moma

This photo was taken by Polish photographer Dmitri Baltermants in January of 1942. He was working for a soviet paper at the time and he received the order to take photos during the war. Hitler soon turned on the soviet union so the photographer decided to take different images. This picture was taken when he stumbled upon a field, ridden with corpses. Local people had also arrived to the field where they cried over the dead bodies and screamed, but some of the people stood still in a state of shock, unable to make a noise at the sight of the bodies.

Invasion of Prague in 1968

Photo credit: 100 Photos

The photographer of this image Josef Koudelka happened to be at the right place at the right time. The image shows the Russian invasion of Czechoslovakia where Dubcek’s government feared there would be a similar uprising to the one in Hungary 12 years earlier. As the tanks rolled into the country, local citizens put up a fight. They used everything that they could to prevent the take over and slow it down. They removed street signs in order to confuse the soldiers along with creating barriers where they could. After Josef took this picture he soon fled the country.

The Flag rising on Iwo Jima in 1945

Photo credit: Time

Joe Rosenthal took this iconic picture when the American soldiers had taken the land at Mount Suribachi, in Japan. The Americans needed this land to use as an airbase but it did not come easily. In fact nearly 7,000 American soldiers were killed in February of 1945 whilst fighting for this piece of land along with over 20,000 Japanese soldiers. Once the soldiers had taken control at Iwo Jima, the commander in chief ordered for the soldiers to get a bigger flag to stick into the ground in order to intimidate the Japanese and to encourage the American troops.

Jewish Boy Surrenders in Warsaw in 1943

Photo credit: Lens Blog New York Times

This terrifying image shows just how horrific the Nazi war had become when a child had to surrender. The photographer is unknown but the image speaks for itself without much description. The Nazi’s had started to remove nearly 5,000 Jewish people per day and moved them to concentration camps. We can see in this image when a group of Jewish people who had been previously hiding had been uncovered and they tried to surrender without being harmed.

The Critic in 1943

Photo credit: Shrine O Dreams

This iconic image was taken during the Great Depression that swept across the United States of America in 1943. It was taken by photographer Arthur Fellig who wanted to show the unfairness in class difference, that even though some people did not have enough money to feed or cloth themselves, not everyone was affected. He wanted to show the difference in class by picturing wealthy ladies next to a lady in poverty. It is said that the image was staged by the photographer.

Boat of No Smile in 1977

Photo credit: NPPA

This image was captured by photographer Eddie Adams the day before thanksgiving in 1977. It shows Vietnamese refugees who were on a boat that sailed into Thailand where they hoped to start their life over. They were trying to to escape communism after the Americans had left Vietnam two years prior. Most of the boats that arrived into Thailand filled with refugees were simply told to move on some where else. The photographer boarded the boat and began to take pictures to share with the World so that hopefully more refugees would be let into the country.

The Firing Squad in Iran in 1979

Photo credit: Executed Today

This horrifying image shows an execution which happened on the 27th of August in 1979. The men who were shot and the man who is just about to be shot in this image, were all accused of being counterrevolutionary. They were deemed this by Ayatullah Ruhollah Khomeini, who was the ruler of Iran. The picture was take by a local photographer named Jahangir Razmi as no international journalists were allowed to see this event. It took place at a dirt track just beside the airport.

The Munich Massacre in 1972

Photo credit: Wikipedia

The Munich Massacre was a traumatic event that took place in Munich during the 1972 Olympic games. This was the first time that Germany held the games since 1936 when they were held by Nazi Germany. The theme for this Olympics was peace and harmony so the security was not tight as the Germans did not want neither the athletes or spectators to feel on edge. Unfortunately due to the lack of security the Israeli house in the Olympic village was taken over by a Palestinian terror organisation known as Black September. They held the members of the house hostage whilst their demands were for 243 of their prisoned comrades to be released. The group killed the hostages after a 21 hour stand off with local forces which ended in bloodshed for both the hostages and the terrorists.

The Kiss in 1979

Photo credit: Rare Historical Photos

This image depicts a fraternal kiss between the Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev and East German leader Erich Honecker. It was taken by photographer Regis Bossu during a party for the 30th anniversary of the German Democratic Republic of East Germany. The photograph was widely used around the World and shows a fraternal kiss that was practised for years, more often on the cheeks of the people kissing but in some cases on the lips.

Country Doctor is 1948

Photo credit: The Incidental Doctor

This image is unlike the other images in this series. The photographer, W. Eugene Smith, took interesting photos of different subjects that he studied. This picture portrays a country doctor, Dr. Ernest Ceriani, who attended patients in and around the Rocky Mountains. The doctor walked from house to house tending to infants, developing his own X-rays and treating a man for a heart attack. The meaning behind the photographers images was to see life from the subjects perspective and to allow the whole World to see it from this perspective too.

Mushroom Cloud Over Nagasaki in 1945

Photo credit: Atomic Archive

The photographer behind this iconic image was Lieutenant Charles Levy. The photo was taken 3 days after the Hiroshima bomb in Japan. It was of another bomb which was nicknamed the Fat Man on Nagasaki. This explosion was more powerful than the one previous and killed over 80,000 local citizens. Japan surrendered six days after this explosion.

Allende’s Last Stand in 1973

Photo credit: Edition CNN

In this picture we can see one of Salvatore Allende’s final moments. The picture was taken by his official photographer, Luis Orlando Lagos. It was just 18 days after he appointed Augusto Pinochet as commander of the army at the time. Allende had been elected 3 years earlier to be the President of Chile. He increased wages and froze prices to make the people of Chile happy. However this not sustainable and as a result the economy began to collapse. 18 days after the appointed Augusto as commander in the army, Augusto organised a coup. Allende would not leave and rather than die at the hands of the army, took his own life after broadcasting his final message over the radio.

The Kent State Shootings in 1970

Photo credit: Slate

This terrifying image was captured by a student named John Filo. The shooting occurred at Kent State University in Ohio, and although it was only short lived, the memory will live on forever in the hearts of those affected. The students had been part of a demonstration to protest against the American troops in Cambodia. The national guard had gathered to monitor the protest and fired what was supposed to be blank rounds into the crowd. However when they stopped firing, 13 students lay on the ground. 4 were dead and 9 were injured.

Leap into Freedom in 1961

Photo credit: CataWiki

This image was captured by a photographer named Peter Leibing. It shows the iconic moment when a German soldier leaped over the barbed wire from the “east Germany” quarter to West Berlin. The government had split Berlin into 4 zones and separated them with barbed wire. The photographer who took the picture had been advised a few days prior that there was going to be a breach. The 19 year old soldier who jumped the barricade was named Hans Conrad Schumann. This made Schumann the symbol for freedom. Unfortunately this was a cross that the soldier could not bare and it led to his untimely death in 1998 when he committed suicide.

Birmingham Alabama in 1963

Photo credit: 100 Photos

This image was captured by the son of a Baptist preacher names Charles Moore. It shows a very real look into the clashes of black protestors and the segregation that they faced, so casually on a daily basis. It was a wake up call to politicians once this image was released into the public eye, that they needed to take more action. Only a year later in 1964 the Civil Rights Act was passed.

Albino Boy, Biafra in 1969

Photo credit: 100 Photos

This photograph was taken by a British photographer named Don McCullin during the struggle when Biafra separated from southern Nigeria in 1967. The conflict and separation only lasted 3 years, but the impact was felt for years after. This particular picture draws attention to the civilian casualties during this brief period, in particular a starving 9 year old boy who looks almost skeleton like. The photographer himself stated that to be a starving Biafran was a horrible infliction but to be an albino starving Biafran was worse again.

This image shows guests waiting on the platform at Edgware Road Station in London, England, ready to board the first ever underground train. This wasn’t just the first ever underground train in the England, but in the whole World. The station opened a year later in 1963 but the first journey happened in 1962.

4 Children for Sale Sign

Photo credit: Rare Historical Photos

This very iconic photo was taken in Chicago in 1948 and it appeared in a newspaper in August 5th of that year. The photo depicts a very sad story where 4 children are sat on the steps of their family home with a “4 sale sign” beside them. This was not a joke. The mother in the photo hides her face in shame at what has happened. The Chalifoux family faced eviction from their family home after the father was left without a job. With no money to live or pay rent, the family decided to sell their children as they seen this to be the only way to move forward. The mother, Mrs Chalifoux was also pregnant at the time of this photo and within 2 years, all of the children had been sold to different families including the baby that was in her womb at the time of the photo.

American soldier shot by German sniper in 1945

Photo credit: Rare Historical Photos

This iconic image was captured by war photographer Robert Capa. It depicts the scene of an American soldier named Raymond J. Bowman, known as the last man to die, shot by a German sniper in Leipzig in 1945. The image of this 21 year old solider appeared in the Victory edition of Life magazine and was one of the most notable pictures form World War 2.

The Soiling of Old Glory in 1976

Photo credit: Rare Historical Photos

This image shows Joseph Rakes, a white teenager, assaulting 3 black men, amongst them a lawyer and civil rights activist, with the American flag. This image was captured during the Boston busing desegregation protests where in an effort to integrate schools, pupils were moved to different schools to make them more diverse. This picture was printed inside some of the most prestigious newspapers at the time such as The New York Times and the Washington Post.

The photo that changed the face of AIDS in 1989

Photo credit: Rare Historical Photos

This image was taken of a man named David Kirby from Ohio. He was diagnosed with AID’s in the the late 1980’s whilst living in California. David was a strong gay activist and had moved away from his home in Ohio, but once he found out his diagnosis he immediately got in contact with his family as he wanted to die with them by his side. The photographer who took the image, Therese Frare, was a student who just happened to be there at the time. The family asked her if she could take an image showing David’s last breaths with his family around him. The image went on to become the image that would change the face of AID’s as it showed David surrounded by his family which rein-stilled family values. At the time conservatives were opposing doing anything productive to help fight the spread of HIV and AID’s as they believed it went against their traditional family beliefs. This picture helped to change that.

The Burning Monk in 1963

Photo credit: Rare Historical Photos

This is probably one of the most iconic photos of all time! This image shows a Vietnamese Mahayana Buddhist monk named Thich Quang Duc who burned himself to death in protest. His protest was after the Buddhist flag was banned from flying in the country. There was up to 350 monks and nuns that created a circle around the monk. He emerged from a car with two other monks who poured petrol over him whilst Duc sat on cushions meditating. This took place at a very busy intersection in Saigon not too far from the Presidential Palace. Once he was doused in petrol and had said his final prayer he lit a match and dropped it on himself. When he became engulfed in flames the people watching were silenced in horror at what they were seeing. 10 minutes after it began a number of monks put a blanket over the burned body and carried it into a nearby Pogoda.